March 19, 2010 |

Ahh, I’m gonna vent today. That’s right, I’m using the WNST blogs for an opportunity to get a few things off my chest. Of course, it’s a rather meaningless topic – in the scope of REAL life. Nonetheless, this is the place to rant about it …..

I Wish The NFL Draft Was Held TODAY !!!!

Call me trite or petty, but I’m really starting to begrudge anything related to Tim Tebow. Have you ever seen a player who’s projected to get drafted somewhere between the 2nd and 5th rounds garner so much attention? And, it extends beyond the daily coverage and anecdotal information by ESPN.

Tim Tebow is being followed by TMZ, Deadspin and the New York Post, along with hundreds of additional media entities. The storylines and contrived scenarios are reaching an extraordinary status, in relation to the real American sports landscape. Heck, he gets as much coverage as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie – for the same stupid reasons.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame Tebow ….. and, I don’t think he’s purposely doing anything to orchestrate the mass amount of media coverage on his daily life. He appears to be a very decent dude, and I’ll imagine he’s a little embarrassed by the attention – like when THOUSANDS of fans attended his pro-day workout, on Wednesday …..
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Have you ever witnessed so much specualtion on WHERE a non-1st round pick will end up? The list of standout college quarterbacks, who didn’t merit high NFL expectations is quite long – Jason White, Chris Weinke, Eric Crouch, Danny Wuerffel, Gino Toretta ….. you get the picture, right?

Think about it, handicapping Tim Tebow’s prospective NFL destination is not too hard, right? He’s not likely to end up with a team that REALLY needs a quarterback. And, he’s definitely not headed to a city where young quarterbacks – with tons of upside are standing under center.

So, while the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers, really need a quarterback, I just don’t see them mortgaging a few seasons on a highly potential BUST.

At the same time, teams with young, developing quarterbacks, like the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions are not drafting Tim Tebow. We all know the backup quarterback is the most POPULAR guy in town. And, as much as we love Joe Flacco, if he hits a skid, plenty of knotheads will be screaming for Tebow, if the kid is standing on the sideline.

Baltimore football fans are absolutely not immune to recklessly calling for a certain player to get a shot, regardless of what the team’s experts say. Remember last season?
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EVERYBODY wanted Paul Kruger to play. I took the phone calls ….. he was ELVIS. And, his position isn’t nearly as scrutinized as a quarterback.

A handful of other NFL teams have veteran quarterbacks, with plenty of gas left in the tank. This list includes the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, San Diego Chargers, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers. These teams are all competitive and they’re not going to create a quarterback controversy for the same reasons cited in the paragraph, above.

Thus, we have a handful of prospective suitors remaining …..

Pittsburgh Steelers : Call me CRAZY, but Mike Tomlin attended Tim Tebow’s pro day workout for a reason. And, is there a better way to motivate his talented, but ridiculously immature star quarterback? To date, Ben Roethlisberger has done as he wishes, while laughing at the backup threats in Charlie Batch, Brian St. Pierre and Dennis Dixon. Put a potential talent, such as Tebow on the Steelers sideline and if nothing else, #7 will probably take notice.

Jacksonville Jaguars : What can I say? David Garrard is an enigma, of sorts. He’s not really a future star, but he’s not a substandard quarterback, either. And, God knows the Jags would love to fill some of those ugly turquoise seats. Enter Tim Tebow. Think about it – Gators fans would only have a 60 mile drive, on Sundays. And, they could continue to hang Tebow’s picture next to this guy …..
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Oakland Raiders : They’re an unpredictable mess. I can see them drafting Tebow and further complicating their quarterback situation, while also setting the team back ANOTHER STEP. By the way, can you imagine Tebow in a more ill-fitted uniform than the Raiders?
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Minnesota Vikings : Yes, I can see this happening. If Tebow really is a “raw talent,” he’d probably benefit from standing around and watching Brett Favre for the next 2, 3 or 7 years, right? If he does possess the qualities of an NFL quarterback, Minnesota’s situation offers a good fit – Tebow’s not a threat to Favre, and he’ll likely adapt well to that community.
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Indianapolis Colts & New England Patriots : These could be the best two landing spots for Tim Tebow. The quarterbacks are ENTRENCHED legends. Heck, Peyton Manning could throw 20 straight interceptions, with Tebow holding the clipboard and the Indy fans would’nt clamor for a change. The same applies with Tom Brady, in New England. These two locales definitely offer the best learning environment for Tebow.

Well, that’s the prospective list of destinations. I honestly think Tim Tebow will end up with one of the organizations I’ve mentioned. But, who knows ??? Crazier things have happened …..
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As much as I’m truly ready to see the TEBOW CIRCUS come to a screeching halt, I do hope he doesn’t suffer any embarrassment as the NFL Draft approaches. I’m not certain he should’ve been invited to New York, unless Mr. Goodell has received some strong indication the Florida Gator will be drafted sometime Thursday night.

I distinctly recall seeing Brady Quinn as he waited in that Green Room, alone, during the final stretch of 2007’s 1st round. Regardless of who it is, that situation sucks.

Thus, I’m surprised the NFL invited Tebow – and I’m equally shocked that he accpeted the offer. He seems like a guy who makes good, calculated decisions. It seems like a pretty poor and contrived gesture. In fact, I suspect some sort of fiduciary reason is really at play.

I cannot be more affirming in my wish ….. I’m looking forward to moving beyond the daily Tim Tebow updates. That said, I think he’s an outstanding dude and pretty modest. I just wanna see him earn any future exposure.